Vessel having wing sail assembly

Abstract

A submersible vessel having wing and keel assemblies that are extendable for wind-powered surface operation and retractable to reduce drag for submerged operation or to place the vessel in a more compact configuration. A deployment mechanism including an actuator and linkage pivots the wing and keel assemblies-simultaneously between the deployed and retracted configuration. The vessel may have first and second pressure hulls flanking the wing and keel assemblies. A drive mechanism including a motor and a gear train employing pulley-and-cable assemblies rotates either the wing and flap together such that the flap angle relative to the wing is constant, or to change the flap angle relative to the wing with the wing angle of incidence held constant. The invention also provides a retractable wind-powered propulsion apparatus that is mountable to the hull assembly of a submersible or non-submersible vessel.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A wing sail assembly for a vessel, comprising:
 a main wing; 
 a flap at a trailing edge of said wing; 
 at least one motor; 
 a first drive from said at least one motor to said main wing that adjusts an angle of incidence of said main wing; and 
 a second drive from said at least one motor to said flap that controls an angle of said flap relative to said main wing; 
 said first and second drives being operable independently so that said angle of said flap is adjustable relative to said main wing independently of said angle of incidence of said main wing; 
 said at least one motor comprising: 
 a single drive motor having said first and second drives independently coupled thereto. 
 
     
     
       2. The wing sail assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a clutch that disengages to permit operation of said first and second drives independently of one another using said single drive motor. 
 
     
     
       3. The wing sail assembly of  claim 2 , wherein said first drive comprises:
 at least one reduction gear stage operatively coupled to an output of said drive motor. 
 
     
     
       4. The wing sail assembly of  claim 3 , wherein said first drive further comprises:
 an output shaft coupled to said main wing. 
 
     
     
       5. The wing sail assembly of  claim 4 , wherein said second drive comprises:
 a pulley gear interconnecting said main wing and said flap that pivots said flap relative to said main wing. 
 
     
     
       6. A vessel having a wing sail assembly, comprising:
 a hull; 
 a main wing coupled to said hull; 
 a flap coupled at a trailing edge of said wing; 
 at least one motor coupled to said hull; 
 a first drive operatively coupled between said at least one motor and said main wing and configured to adjust an angle of incidence of said main wing relative to said hull; and 
 a second drive operatively coupled between said hull and said flap and configured to control an angle of said flap relative to said main wing; 
 said at least one motor comprising:
 a single drive motor having said first and second drives independently coupled thereto. 
 
 
     
     
       7. The vessel of  claim 6  further comprising:
 a clutch that disengages to permit operation of one of said first and second drives independently of the other of said first and second drives using said single drive motor. 
 
     
     
       8. The vessel of  claim 7 , wherein said first drive comprises:
 at least one reduction gear stage operatively coupled to an output of said drive motor.